CHICAGO – Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament champion Saint Xavier University also gained the spotlight when the postseason awards were announced by the league office Friday morning as the Cougars gained two top awards, not to mention three spots on the seven-member all-conference team. Topping the list of award winners was senior James Kerr (Donegal, Ireland/Western Texas/Archbishop Ilsley) ), who was named the CCAC Men's Golf Player of the Year. Kerr was joined on the awards platform by his coach, Mike Mandakas, who claimed CCAC Coach of the Year honors. Kerr was joined by his teammates, junior Kyle Bahnick (Inverness, Ill./Carthage College/Palatine-Fremd)) and senior Kirby Brown (West Des Moines, Iowa/Kirkwood CC/Valley), on the all-conference team.

Kerr posted a 74.7 scoring average during the season and never shot above 79. His best round of the season came at the Bethel (Ind.) College Pilot Invitational, where he won the first day of the two-day tournament with a round of 67. He finished the event placing in a tie for second overall. Kerr also shot three other sub-75 rounds this spring, including a 74 on the second day of the CCAC Tournament, where he placed third overall.

"This is a great accomplishment for our top three golfers," said Mandakas. "Their consistent play helped attribute to a successful team record. All three had a chance to win conference player of the year, but Kerr's low scoring average helped give him the vote."

After winning its first CCAC Championship in late April and the automatic bid that comes with it, Saint Xavier is currently preparing for next week's 63rd Annual NAIA Men's Golf National Championships held from May 13-16 at LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. The event is being hosted by The Sun Conference in conjunction with the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.